


Traveling

by Prisca



Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-09 06:37:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8879737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: Travelling around the world all the time sometimes is not enough





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: any, any, character a never gets sick of going to new places but character b just wants to settle down and raise a family instead of always traveling.

With sparkling eyes, Casey glanced at the photos in front of him, all of them labeled with pink stickers with handwritten notes on it.

A stone bridge, leading from one rock to another over a small but high abyss over the ocean. Gaiola Bridge, Naples, Italy. Beautiful view around. Ask Zeke if he is unafraid of heights

A large, medieval castle, built out of many small rocks. Castillo de La Cueva, Cebolleros, Burgos, Spain. Interesting background but maybe a bit too overcrowded by tourists

A crystal clear lake, surrounded by high rocks; a waterfall was falling into it through a small canyon. Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland. Magic!!!

And Zeke knew where this would go to. Though they just came back home three weeks ago, Casey was already planning their next trip. Europe this time. Without any question the places he had chosen were amazing. Like all the places they had visited during the last two years. As a photographer, Casey was always looking for unusual motifs and more than once he had already sold his pics to the one or the other traveling- or nature magazine.

He wouldn't get rich with the money he earned, but it was always enough to finance the next trip. And the next one. And the next one.

"Scotland, I'd say," Casey said finally and pointed at the lake with the waterfall.  
"It's an interesting country with a lot of beauty around. We can start in Edinburgh; spend some days there; rent a car to discover the surrounding. A visit of the Kelpies at Helix is an absolute must. And I would like to visit a lighthouse, too; of course, best in the evening with a light-show. But we also need to go to the spooky, tragic places of Scotland.

Maybe Culloden, in the 18th-century thousands of clansmen were cut down there when the army of Bonnie prince Charlie was defeated. A sad place, but a historical one we shouldn't miss. Or the St Andrew's Cathedral, which is haunted by two ghosts, a friendly monk you can meet on the stairs at St Rule’s Tower, and the beautiful White Lady.“

He laughed softly.  
„I guess, it would be fun to meet her. Maybe she's willing to pose for a shot, or two."

Zeke sighed, well knowing that remaining silent for longer wouldn't change anything. It was time for some serious talk.

"Case," he said.  
"What do you think about taking a break?"

"A break?"  
Casey blinked confusedly.  
"But I'm not tired. I would like to plan our tour through, so tomorrow we could book the flights and maybe start the trip next week. It's the best time for ...“

Slowly Zeke shook his head.  
„I won't come with you this time,“ he interrupted him gently.

A loud coughing was the only reaction; Casey stared at him as if he was wondering if Zeke had lost his mind.

Zeke dropped down onto the chair opposite his friend, his lover, watching him. This was the hardest thing he had ever done. He knew, these trips meant a lot for Casey. And for sure he wanted him to be happy. He deserved it. The time at Highschool hadn't been easy; he had always been the odd one out, the geek, no one cared much about. Not even his parents had ever stepped in for him.

Then Mary Beth. The alien queen who had tried to take over the school, the town, maybe the world. And Casey had turned into a hero; though no one had ever cared about him, he had saved all of them by killing her last minute.

Boon and bane. Finally, Casey had gotten at least some of the acceptance he deserved. But he had hated the attention he got from the media. At least his parents had been smart enough to demand fair payment for every interview, for every picture. When the fame after a while started to fade away and Casey finally graduated he had had a well-stocked bank account. He would be able to go to every art-college he wanted; New York, San Francisco, Boston ...

But it was as if he suddenly had lost every interest in it. When Casey asked him to do a trip to Europe, London, Munich, Paris, Rome, Zeke had agreed without hesitating. Why not? He was not sure if Casey was his best friend, he actually never had had many friends, just buddies to hang around with at parties or clubs. But the alien incident had also changed him; to hang around with Casey, with Stokes, Stan, even bitchy Delilah had felt good, familiar and safe. No stupid questions, no need to talk shit, an outsider wouldn't be able to understand anyway what had happened during this horrible night at school.

Delilah drifted away first; she had been the one who had always enjoyed to stand in the center of the media attention; she loved to give interviews, even go to talk shows. When a magazine offered her a job as a freelancer she grabbed the chance.

Stan and Stokes suddenly discovered that they had more in common that it had looked like before. The quarterback of the team and the lesbian gothic bitch. With slight amusement Zeke had noticed their first, tentative approaching; obviously, it was true that opposites attracted each other. The two made a great couple.

At the end, it was only Casey and him. And he didn't mind. They had a great time. The first trip to Europe had brought them even closer together. It followed a second, a third one. Zeke had never been that close to a guy before but when Casey one night slipped into his bed and kissed him it had felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Zeke squeezed his eyes shut. Hard to imagine to be without him again. But he felt so worn out. One more trip and he would start to go crazy. First, he had enjoyed it, too; the places they visited were great and Casey was so happy hyper like he had never seen him before. In the moment, though, all he could think about was to come home. Home to Herrington, Ohio. He had never thought that this would ever happen.

„Okay!“

Casey's low, trembling voice tore him out of his thoughts.

„I guess I should have known it that this won't last forever.“

Zeke noticed the tears in Casey's eyes, but he managed it to fight them back and stared at him with unmoved, dark blue eyes. He had seen this look before, ages ago, at school, when the jocks bullied him once again; when he had known that there was no way out and he just had accepted the inevitable. Zeke swallowed and reached out to him, but Casey drew back as if he was afraid of his touch.

The rejection made Zeke cringe but he knew, giving in was not an option anymore. If he would go to Scotland with Casey despite the bad vibe he had about it, it would be the end of everything that bound them together.

„All I ask you for, Case, is that we stay here for a while. Some normal life. A home. Friends. I miss hanging around with the lovebirds in our pub. I miss the road trips in the GTO. Maybe I could start working in John's garage again. And you could look for an art-school. Isn't it that what you always wanted? A life, Casey!“

Reluctantly the boy pulled the face.  
„This is my life,“ he said and pointed at the pictures in front of him.  
„This is what I always wanted to do. To leave Herrington behind, to leave everything behind. To discover the beauty of the world. There are still so many places I want to visit.“

„But that's not living, it's running away from life. You try to escape reality. But one day your dreamworld will burst like a soap bubble and you will realize that there is nothing left what still counts.

Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've tried to fool myself for years; all the parties and clubs and mindless flirting; all because I couldn't bear it to be alone. I refused to think about the future. All that counted was the moment.

But being together with you has changed all. Wonderful but fleetingly moments are not enough anymore. And I'm so sick of motel rooms and cheap apartments.

I want to spend the rest of my life with you. For the first time, I can imagine to settle down somewhere. We don't even need to stay here, in Ohio. Boston, New York, L.A. … wherever you want to go. Just a place we can call our home.

Because ...“

Zeke hesitated, his eyes resting on Casey's still reserved face. He wasn't sure if this was the best moment. But he couldn't hold back for longer what he felt deep in his heart.

„I love you!“

…

It was about three months later that they did move in into a small apartment in Boston, near the art-school Casey had finally enrolled at. While Zeke had found a part-time job at a garage; not exactly what he was dreaming about but it was a beginning.

„You don't regret it, do you,“ Zeke asked when he found Casey in the small but comfortable living room, looking at the framed pictures on the plain, white walls; his favorite ones from all their trips.

„Since I can remember I've always tried to find my place in life but I did seem to fit in nowhere. Our first trip to Europe was like diving into a world I had always been looking for. And I wanted to keep hold of this feeling as long as possible.“

He turned around and when he noticed the tension in Zeke's body, he smiled reassuring.

„No, I don't regret it. Because a life together with you is the most exciting trip ever.“  
THE END

**Author's Note:**

> originally written for comment_fic (LJ Comm)
> 
> also posted at my LJ


End file.
